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Chapter 196: Just Get Stronger
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 16:24:42 +0000 UTCKageyama Tobio had been the best player at Karasuno ever since his first year.
For a genius like Kageyama, volleyball occupied 99% of his life.
But that remaining 1%—the part about love—
Karasuno had completed it for him.
One day, he would step onto the world stage.
Karasuno had slowed down his race to the top—
But in doing so, they had also ensured that he would one day become a true King.
Yet here—
Surrounded by monsters just like him—
Kageyama suddenly realized something.
He could afford to be even bolder.
To be more reckless.
To unleash himself entirely.
Kageyama Tobio was absorbing everything like a sponge.
Kageyama Tobio was growing—fast.
Serve switch—
Team B's Nakamoto Shigeru stepped up to serve.
For Team B, this was the rotation where their libero, Komori Motoya Jin, wasn't on the court.
Boom!
Nakamoto aimed his jump serve at Kaedehara Taichi.
Smack!
Taichi's first pass was flawless.
Miya Atsumu, without hesitation, sent the ball high—
Boom!
Here it comes!
Hoshiumi Kōrai—taking flight once more!
"Triple block!"
Kageyama Tobio, Kawakami Tomota, and Matsumoto Dai jumped together.
But—
Not high enough!
Boom!
Hoshiumi spiked over the block!
Smack!
But, it got read!
There was no libero in Team B's backline right now—
But Sakusa Kiyoomi, in Burst Mode, had a better receive than any high school libero in the nation right now!
The ball shot into the air—
Directly above Kageyama Tobio.
Simultaneous multi-position attack!
Aside from Nakamoto Shigeru, who had no back-row attacking ability, the other four players all rushed forward.
Including Sakusa Kiyoomi!
His first-touch hadn't slowed him down at all!
Team A's front row locked onto the four incoming attackers—
Especially Sakusa, whose cold, expressionless face made it impossible to read his intent.
Boom!
Kageyama Tobio jumped—
And with one hand—
SLAMMED the ball down!
Smack!
Hirao Jin anticipated the setter dump—
But he couldn't keep the ball in play.
[Team A 9 – 7 Team B]
"Oh?"
"Miya Atsumu" tilted his head, smirking.
"Kageyama's spiking is pretty damn good too."
There were plenty of players on the court that interested him—
But in the end, it was Kageyama Tobio, the other setter, that drew his attention the most.
After all—
Kageyama was fun.
Using a full-power Sakusa Kiyoomi as a decoy?
Not many setters would even think to pull that off.
"You don't believe I could've scored?" Sakusa muttered.
"No," Kageyama replied calmly.
"I just knew that I could."
Nakamoto Shigeru—second serve.
"I got it!"
Hirao Jin stepped up, taking the first touch.
In his opinion, Kaedehara Taichi should be focused on attacking instead of receiving.
Smack!
A perfect pass.
Miya Atsumu, unfazed, set the ball up.
Compared to Taichi in the back row—
Hoshiumi Kōrai, in the front row, was an absolute beacon of presence.
BAM!
Does this guy have springs in his shoes or what?!
Hoshiumi soared—
Every single time, it felt like he was launching straight into the stratosphere.
Once again, he cleared the blockers with ease.
While still airborne, his sharp gaze scanned the opposing court.
The moment his eyes met Sakusa Kiyoomi—
He hesitated.
For just a fraction of a second.
Then—
With zero hesitation, he swung.
Boom!
The ball carved a perfect arc—
Straight behind Sakusa Kiyoomi!
For the Little Giant of Kamomedai, there was no such thing as backing down!
A line shot!
It all came down to one instant of decision-making.
And in that moment, Sakusa trusted himself—
Just as much as he trusted Hoshiumi Kōrai.
He didn't wait for the ball to drop—
Instead, he jumped up and received it overhand!
Smack!
The sheer force of the ball made it impossible for him to control it perfectly—
The ball sailed past Kageyama Tobio and headed out of bounds.
"Right wing!"
Kageyama chased after it, calling out the attack location as he ran.
Will the ball come?
Sakusa didn't stop to think.
Instead—
He sprinted down the sideline.
"Just do your job as best as you can."
That's what Itachiyama volleyball was all about.
Sakusa leapt from the back row—
His airborne form—flawless.
Whoosh—
The ball soared across the entire width of the court, landing perfectly in front of him—without a fraction of deviation!
"Three-man block!" Miya Atsumu, Hoshiumi Kōrai, and Kondō Masato jumped up together, forming a towering wall above him.
Boom!
The ball bypassed Kondō Masato's right side and shot straight toward Team A's sideline.
Smack!
Kaedehara Taichi suddenly darted out from the left side.
Given that Miya Atsumu and Hoshiumi Kōrai's combined presence was enough to shut down Sakusa Kiyoomi's cross-court shot, all he needed to cover was the first-touch reception and the straight-line attack.
The ball struck Kaedehara Taichi's arm and deflected out of bounds.
Sakusa Kiyoomi scores!
[Team A 9 – 8 Team B]
The rotation had changed, but the feeling of Sakusa's spin was still there. Kaedehara Taichi furrowed his brows—was there truly no way to counter his spikes?
No…there had to be a way. It was just a matter of time before he found it.
Nakamoto Shigeru served the third ball.
It was almost unbelievable—his teammates were this strong.
And to think this was only the result of thirty minutes of warm-up…Nakamoto found himself glancing at Kageyama Tobio.
Just how advanced was this first-year's spatial awareness?
Boom!
Once again, the serve targeted Kaedehara Taichi. As long as the play wasn't broken, there was no reason to change their approach.
"I got it!"
Kaedehara Taichi called it early—did they really think they could bully him like a soft target?
He delivered a sharp reception, sending the ball high into Miya Atsumu's setting zone.
This damn fox…he better put in some effort!
Feeling the sheer resentment in that pass, Miya Atsumu was at a loss for words.
He had been setting excellent balls for Hoshiumi Kōrai, yet somehow, Sakusa Kiyoomi was still picking them up—even without a libero on the court.
Miya Atsumu leapt, shaping his hand as if to spike.
Kawakami Tomota jumped up to block him directly.
"So, I can only bait one of them?"
Miya's upper body tilted back slightly—just a feint. His other hand swiftly lifted the ball, pushing it behind him.
A reverse set—back attack!
Kondō Masato evaded Matsumoto Dai's block and executed a clean spike.
Boom!
Finally, Team A reclaimed a point.
[Team A 10 – 8 Team B]
"Miya-senpai, nice set," Kaedehara Taichi praised him absentmindedly. See? You should've done this earlier.
Miya Atsumu twitched the corner of his mouth—there was no way that praise was sincere.
Personal grudges!
-----
As the match progressed, both teams gradually pieced together their opponents' tactics and main scoring patterns through real-time adjustments.
Sakusa Kiyoomi's explosive form had been a key factor in Team B's earlier lead. The most defining trait of the Big Three was that when they were in top condition, their scoring became nearly unstoppable.
However, Team A quickly adapted—if they couldn't stop him, they would simply outscore him.
With Hoshiumi Kōrai and Kaedehara Taichi as their primary offensive weapons, Team A's attacking firepower was equally relentless.
The game became a deadlock, both sides exchanging points in a high-level battle where every rally carried suspense.
This tug-of-war continued until Kondō Masato's service error allowed Team B to take the lead at the 20-point mark.
[Team A 19 – 20 Team B]
Kageyama Tobio stepped up to the service line.
-----
His thoughts drifted back to an elementary school volleyball match.
Back then, when his team was leading, Kageyama had deliberately held back on his serves in the later half of the game.
His grandfather, Kageyama Kazuyo, had watched in confusion and asked young Tobio why he had done that.
The little boy hesitated as if he had done something wrong, then mumbled:
"If I don't hold back…the match will end too soon..."
"I really…really want to keep playing..."
Kageyama Kazuyo had simply smiled.
"As long as you keep getting stronger, you'll be able to play more and more incredible matches."
—
"As long as I become stronger, even greater opponents will appear before me."
"Grandpa, I think…I finally understand a little."
Standing at the baseline, Kageyama Tobio let out a genuine laugh.
[Ding! Kageyama Tobio has entered Burst Mode]
[Kageyama Tobio (Burst Mode)—Setter: Overall Ability Rating: 96
Height: 182 cm | Power: 95 | Jump: 95 | Stamina: 99 | Speed: 90
Technique: Serve: 98 | Set: 100.]
The atmosphere on the court shifted.
A moment of silence—
Then, Kageyama tossed the ball into the air.
-----
